Material handling vehicles are used to transport items from one location to another location. For example, items may be transported from one location in a factory to another location in a factory. In another example, material handling vehicles can be used in a warehouse to store or retrieve various items. In some material handling vehicles, the operator stands while operating the vehicle. In other material handling vehicles, the operator sits while operating the vehicle.
The operator has several controls which are used to control the operation of the vehicle. For example, the controls may control the speed and direction of the vehicle and also the operation of the lift portion. Some manufacturers of material handling vehicles locate the controls in the forward position. Other manufacturers locate the controls in the side position. Furthermore, other manufacturers position the controls so that they are at an angle between the forward position and the side position. The customer must decide at the time the vehicle is purchased the position of the controls. The customer is not able to change the position of the controls after the vehicle has been manufactured and delivered to the customer.
For example, if a customer had material handling vehicles with the controls in the forward position, the customer would not be able to change the position of the controls to the side position. The customer would need to determine the position of the controls at the time the vehicle was ordered from the manufacturer. In addition, if the first customer wished to sell its used vehicles with the controls in the forward position to a second customer, the number of perspective purchasers would be limited to customers who were only interested in vehicles with the controls in the forward position. Therefore, it would be advantageous if the customer could change the position of the controls.
Similarly, if a manufacturer only sells vehicles with the controls in the forward position, then the manufacturer would not be able to sell vehicles to customers who wished the controls to be in the side position or the angled position. Also, if a manufacturer offered one model of a vehicle with the controls in the forward position and another model with the controls in the side position, the manufacturer may need additional parts and/or assembly operations for each model. In addition, the manufacturer or distributor may need to have additional inventory in order to stock both models. Furthermore, as noted above, the customer would need to determine the model (i.e., the position of the controls) at the time the vehicle was ordered. Thus, it would be advantageous if the manufacturer and/or distributor could have one model with multiple positions for the controls.
As noted above, the operator must use his or her hands to operate the controls for the vehicle. These controls move with respect to the control console. Thus, if the operator is using both hands to operate the controls, the operator does not have a fixed surface to hold in order to maintain his or her stability in the vehicle. This situation is more important in the vehicles where the operator stands to operate the vehicle. Thus, it would be advantageous if the control console provided a fixed surface for the operator to hold to maintain stability and which also allowed the operator to manipulate the controls.